Blood Orange Loaf Cake (Printer-Friendly)

Zesty blood orange loaf with poppy seeds, marzipan, and a vibrant citrus glaze—perfect for afternoon tea.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
05 - 8½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2¾ ounces marzipan, grated
10 - ½ cup blood orange juice
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Blood Orange Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter, sugar, and blood orange zest until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
05 - Fold grated marzipan into the mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - In a separate bowl, combine blood orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract.
07 - Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three alternating additions with the blood orange mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
08 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar with blood orange juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake and let set before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marzipan melts into the crumb and makes every bite taste like youve hidden tiny pockets of almond sweetness throughout.
  • Blood orange juice stains the batter this gorgeous blush color that makes people ask what youve done before they even taste it.
  • Its fancy enough to serve at brunch but forgiving enough to make on a weeknight when you need something beautiful.
02 -
  • Do not skip the parchment paper lining, marzipan makes the cake sticky and it will cling to the pan like glue.
  • If your blood oranges are not very juicy, top up the measurement with regular orange juice rather than leaving the batter too thick.
  • Let the cake cool completely before glazing or the icing will slide right off and pool at the bottom.
03 -
  • Grate the marzipan while it's cold, it turns sticky and impossible to work with once it warms up in your hands.
  • Use a skewer to poke a few holes in the warm cake before glazing, it lets the icing seep in and flavors every bite.
  • If your glaze is too thick, add blood orange juice a teaspoon at a time until it drizzles smoothly off the spoon.
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